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8.06.2011

Real Madrid have ended their preseason tour with another convincing victory. The Whites have won all of their seven games to go into the first official match of the new campaign next Sunday in the best way possible. The preseason tour turned to be perfect not just in terms of results but also in terms of preparing for the new season. The squad have worked very hard in both the US and China and the new arrivals have adapted to the team; the players feel more comfortable, confident, and know what to do in every moment on the pitch having worked with the coach for a year. In short, Mourinho and his men have accomplished their goal of going into the new season in the best shape possible.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema: A lethal duo

Mourinho opted to start with a very different lineup to the one he used in his recent games. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Iker Casillas, Pepe, and Marcelo were all on the bench. Meanwhile, Castilla players Mejias and Jese as well as new signing Rafael Varane started along with Fabio Coentrao who once again demonstrated his ability to play in many positions and occupied the midfield.

Jese had the first chance on goal but his ball was blocked by a defender. Soon after, the Whites were awarded a penalty kick when Di Maria was brought down in the penalty area. The fans asked Kaka to take it and the Brazilian converted it successfully to put Real Madrid ahead. The second goal followed soon as Di Maria received an accurate pass from Coentrao and attempted to lob the goalkeeper but he failed and scored on the second try in front of an empty net. 0-2.

Mourinho made his first substitution in the 21st minute as he sent in Jesus for Mejias, and the team kept looking to score more goals. Sergio Ramos had to be subbed off as he felt pain in his back and the coach didn’t want to risk with him, so he replaced him with Castilla player Nacho just before the end of the first half.

The second half started with the Whites making three changes: Casillas, Khedira and Callejon came on for Jesus, Di Maria and Xabi Alonso. Callejon was close to scoring a third goal after a fantastic individual effort from Higuain but his strike was too high. Tianjin responded with a header from Chen Tao and were close to making it 1-2.

In the 56th minute, Mourinho made four more substitutions: he sent in Ozil, Pepe, Carvalho, and Marcelo for Kaka, Albiol, Arbeloa, and Jese. The team kept creating more chances but they didn’t have much luck in front of goal until the 67th minute when Pipita Higuain added a third goal. He was soon replaced by Cristiano Ronaldo who got the Chinese fans excited. Mourinho also sent on Karim Benzema for Coentrao.

Ronaldo only needed six minutes to get on the score-sheet as he scored the team’s fourth goal of the night with a sensational strike. He has scored 7 goals in 7 games this the preseason, and there is only one phrase to describe him: world-class.

Benzema once again proved why he is a fantastic striker as he added two goals in the 79th and 81st minute to make it 0-6 and help Real Madrid finish the preseason with another goal feast. He is currently the team’s top-goal-scorer with 8 goals from 7 preseason games and is on the right track to having a very successful season.

With 13 goals in 2 games in China, Real Madrid end their Asian tour and return to Madrid where they will start preparing for the Spanish Supercup clash against Barcelona next Sunday.

Sahin was born on 5 September 1988 in Ludenscheid, Germany. His early football days can be traced back to Meinerzhagen prior to joining Borussia Dortmund's academy in 2001. On 6 August 2005, Sahin set a record by becoming the youngest player to debut in the Bundesliga in a match against Wolfsburg. Three months later (26 November), he also became the youngest player to score in the Bundesliga with a goal against Nuremberg.

His international career has been equally as successful. Sahin played and won the European Championship with Turkey's Under-17 side at the age of 16. He later participated in the Under-17 World Cup, and despite falling to Brazil in the semifinals, Sahin was one of the best players in the championship and finished as the second highest scorer of the competition. He debuted for Turkey in October 2005 against Germany and became the youngest player to ever score for his country.

8.05.2011

Defensive midfielder Sami Khedira (Stuttgart, Germany, 1987) had his coming out party during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, during which he was one of the most outstanding players on the German national team. The new Real Madrid signing played seven matches and scored what proved to be the third-place clinching goal against Uruguay. One year earlier, Khedira captained the German Under-21 side to the European Championship title.

Khedira is a dynamic midfielder who can cover a lot of ground and can quickly join in attack after recovering the ball from the opponent. Standing at 189 centimeters, he has flawless aerial technique and a powerful mid-range shot.

Born to a German mother and Tunisian father, Khedira came into this world in Stuttgart, Germany in 1987. After initially playing for TV Oeffingen, he joined the VfB Stuttgart academy at the age of eight. He slowly climbed his way up through the ranks until earning his first team debut on 1 October 2006 against Hertha BSC. A couple weeks later he scored his first two Bundesliga goals against Shalke 04 and Stuttgart would eventually go on to win the league title. Prior to his arrival in the Spanish capital, Khedira scored 14 goals in 98 total matches with the German side.

Sami Khedira has also had a successful run on an international level. In 2009 he captained Germany's Under-21 side to the European Championship titles. He debuted with the senior side two months later and has earned a third-place finish in the World Cup. In less than a year he notched 12 caps for Germany.

8.04.2011

Born into a family known for its football prowess, Xabi Alonso came into this world on 25 November 1981 in the Basque town of Tolosa. Following in the footsteps of his father, Periko Alonso, Xabi lived in Barcelona until he was six before moving to San Sebastian, where he began his career as a footballer.

Xabi Alonso’s youth career began at Antiguoko, where he quickly stood out for his football prowess. Real Sociedad soon came calling, and his progress through the ranks culminated in his first team debut in Copa del Rey action against Logroñes. He debuted in Spain’s top flight in 1998.

Prior to the 2004/05 season, Alonso completed a switch to Liverpool, where he dazzled Kopites with his incredible vision and knack for the pass. His powerful long-range shot converted him into one of Europe’s best centre midfielders.

Xabi Alonso has featured for Spain since debuting in 2003, but his career highs were no doubt the 2008 Euro and 2010 World Cup won by Spain.

An eye for the pass, speed in distributing, vision for the game, a powerful shot… just some of the attributes of the Basque footballer who is a mainstay in the Real Madrid midfield.

8.03.2011

Six victories out of six preseason games. Real Madrid’s preseason tour of the US, Europe, and China have been impeccable. There is only one last test remaining; the match against Tianjin on Saturday before the end of the tour and a week before the Spanish Supercup clash with Barcelona. Throughout this tour, Real Madrid have demonstrated that they are a solid and a complete team thanks to the reinforcements that have been made to the squad this summer.

Real Madrid players after score a goal

As was expected from the arrival of Real Madrid in China, the game was a feast of football for those who were present in the Tianhe Olympic Stadium despite of the intense heat and humidity which was close to 80%. There were 50,000 spectators and they supported the Whites more than the local team during the match.

Just six minutes after the kick-off, Sami Khedira sent the stadium wild when he opened the scoring as he headed home a fantastic cross from Karim Benzema. It was his first goal in a Real Madrid shirt.

The locals, who were ambitious, physically strong, and dangerous, tried to score an equalizer. Muriqui was their best player. The very fast Brazilian threatened Casillas’ goal on more than one occasion. However, Cristiano could have scored a second for Madrid in the 25th minute but his strike went over the bar. Five minutes later, Ozil scored a brilliant goal following a smart pass from Khedira. By the 38th minute, it was already 0-3 thanks to a powerful shot from Karim Benzema who has been unstoppable in the preseason so far. Cristiano was so close to scoring the Whites’ fourth goal but he was denied by the crossbar.

During half-time, Mourinho made his first substitution as he sent Alvaro Arbeloa on for Sergio Ramos. And it took Benzema only three minutes after the start of the second half to score his second and the team’s fourth goal of the night. The fans cheered whenever Ronaldo received the ball and wanted him to score; it didn’t take him that long as he netted the team’s fifth from an amazing back-heel.

After Ronaldo’s goal, Mourinho made eight substitutions: Kaka, Coentrao, Higuain, Nacho, Albiol, Varane, Adan & Di Maria all came on for Callejon, Khedira, Ronaldo, Ozil, Marcelo, Benzema, Alonso and Casillas. With 30 minutes remaining before the final whistle, the locals were looking to score a goal of honor but they failed to capitalize on their chances. After Ronaldo left the pitch, Kaka became the fans’ favorite and they chanted his name in the stands.

Due to the many changes in both teams, the intensity of the match decreased, but Real Madrid kept ball possession and were looking to score more goals. Mourinho decided to send in Castilla player Jese who only needed 20 seconds to get on the score-sheet thanks to an exceptional individual effort by Di Maria. Another brilliant goal, 0-6.

Di Maria was a constant danger for the locals and managed to score his first goal with Real Madrid this season in the 83rd minute. And just 3 minutes before the final whistle, Guangzhou were finally able to score against the whites to make it 1-7 and get their fans excited.

Real Madrid still have one more game to play in China before returning to Spain. They will face Tianjin on Saturday.

Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior, or simply Marcelo, was one of the ‘Crown Jewels’ of always-prolific Brazilian football and one of Real Madrid’s swanky winter signings of 2006/07. He arrived in Europe at the age of 18 having already hit the big time with Fluminense and he quickly adapted to Madrid thanks to the other Brazilians on the squad, but especially Roberto Carlos, who took Marcelo under his wing and taught his successor the tricks of the trade.

A pacey and offensive player, the young left-back has worked arduously since landing in Madrid hoping to capitalize on the opportunities given to him by the manager. With nerves of steel and ice running through his veins, Marcelo didn't take long to earn a spot in the starting eleven.

Marcelo’s consistent playing time also rubbed off on Brazilian national team coach Dunga, who gave the youngster his debut against Wales. No one could have written a better script as Marcelo hammered home an impressive crossed shot from outside the box in an all-out display of strength, speed, and ball-handling.

8.02.2011

Fabio Coentrao is one of the best left backs in the current football scene thanks to his solid game in attack, excellent dribbling skills, powerful shot and versatility, which allows him to play anywhere down the wings. He is very experienced despite his young age.

The first important team he played for was Rio Ave, with whom he made his First Division debut when he was just 16. His excellent performances caught Benfica's attention, who decided to sign him in 2007 and loaned him out to Nacional, notching 16 appearances and 4 goals. Coentrao returned to Rio Ave after a brief spell with Spanish side Zaragoza. His good run in the 2008/09 campaign secured his return to Benfica, with whom he truly blossomed and won his first titles, such as the 2009/10 edition of the league and the 2010/11 Cup of Portugal.

Coentrao first played for his country on the youth national teams, making his first team debut in 2009 against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

8.01.2011

Born in Salamanca and raised in Zaragoza, Alvaro started playing football in his school, joining Zaragoza's youth systejm when he was 12 years old. He stayed at the club until the 2001/02 campaign, during which he was signed by Real Madrid's Under-19 side. His hard work got him promoted to Real Madrid B -now known as Castilla-. He became the team's captain and helped it reach the Second Division at the end of the campaign with team-mates such as De la Red, Javi Garcia, Soldado, and Juanfran. Arbeola made his first team debut on 16 October 2004 against Betis when he replaced Mejia. He played one more game with the first team before rejoining Real Madrid B.

Arbeola made one of his most important decisions in 2006 when he decided to sign for Deportivo La Coruña in order to gain experience and have continuity on a First Division team. In 2007, just six months after the move, he joined Rafa Benitez's Liverpool, making his debut against Newcastle on 10 February and becoming an undisputed starter for the Reds. He didn't win any titles with Liverpool, but he reached the 2006/07 Champions League final. He played 49 Premiership games -scoring two goals-, 20 in the Champions League, 3 in the League Cup and 1 FA Cup match.

Arbeola was an international for Spain on every youth national team before joining the first team, with whom he debuted in March 2008 in a friendly against Italy. He had been called-up for a previous match against France, but an injury to his abdomen prevented him from participating. Alvaro later went on to win the 2008 Euro in Austria and Switzerland, and the World Cup in South Africa 2010.

7.31.2011

Real Madrid ended its fifth preseason match and last in Europe with a comfortable victory over Leicester City. The Mourinho's team will travel to China, where will play two games to close a preseason that is showing the depth bench that will have the white team this season. Real Madrid has shown itself in five games as a serious team, with much football despite the youth of the roster, a clear game idea with lots of options in all positions of the field.

Leicester vs Real Madrid: Benzema scored the 0-2

Mourinho played with a starting line-up full of news, faithful to his policy of distributing minutes this preseason. Varane, Albiol, Granero or Adan took part of the starting team and Cristinao, Özil, Casillas or Xabi started the game from the bench. With Callejon and Coentrão close to the wings and Kaka as playmaker, Real Madrid dominated the ball. Leicester tried to fight against the quality of Real Madrid players with a considerable physical power and pressure, trying to steal the ball and look for a counter-attack.

During the first 45 minutes, Real Madrid had three clear chances to score but was close to the final of the first half, when everyone was thinking in the 0-0, when white team scored the 0-1. The play emerged from a mistake by Mills, Leicester's central defender, in a failed clearing with his head, left the ball at the feet of Benzema, who with all the calm of the world, haggled Schmeichel and served the goal for the Callejon, who returned to score for Real Madrid this season. It was 43 minutes of game and Mourinho's team went ahead on the scoreboard without time to more. The goal did justice to the merits of the white set, which was the only team that created danger. Adan just had to intervene in a couple of dangerous free-kicks of the English team.

The second half began with a carousel of substitutions on both teams. Mourinho put on the team Casillas, Özil, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Xabi Alonso, leaving on the bench Kaka, Adan, Granero and Callejon. Furthermore, both Real Madrid and the Leicester changed the color of their equipments. The British team, encouraged by its fans, looked for a goal with more intensely. Thus, in the 48' minute Bamba had a great opportunity, alone at the small area, but Casillas stopped the ball.

Whites owned the game and the team raised the pace looking to close the match early. In the 61' came the 0-2. Fast counter-attack guided Xabi Alonso, who pass to Marcelo, the Brazilian throws the ball at the post but Benzema, attentive, sends it to the back of the net. After the second goal, Mourinho returned to move the bench. Higuain enjoyed his first minutes of the season in substitution for Karim. Pepe and Arbeloa gave rest to Marcelo and Khedira.

Gradually the match was losing intensity. Real Madrid managed the ball and missed the minutes waiting for the final whistle. The British sought a goal to makeup the result, but with more faith than football. And in the 88' came the goal. Dyer scored the 1-2 after a powerful shot from inside the area, that caused the delight of the home crowd. So came the final of the game. Now it's time to travel to China for a brilliant climax to the season. On August 14 the official season starts with the running of the Super Cup against Barcelona.

Ricardo Carvalho is best known for his perfect positioning, his foresight and his ability to advance the ball out of the first third. The Portuguese defender is a regular in Mourinho´s lineups, starting in 46 of his 48 appearances with Real Madrid.

His career began with Leça prior to signing his professional papers with Porto in 1997. He immediately played on loan for what was his first team and continued gaining experience over the next two seasons with Vitoria de Setubal and Alverca before returning to Porto. It was during his second stint with the Portuguese powerhouse that he won the 2002/03 UEFA Cup and the 2003/04 Champions League. Carvalho packed his bags for Chelsea in 2004 and went on to earn three Premier League titles among a host of many others.

In recent years the center-back has played an integral role on the Portuguese national team, with whom he reached the final of the 2004 European Championship and the semis of the 2006 World Cup.